By Janet A. Sesay
Two former staffs of Bloom Bank Africa, Musa Joseph Sesay-the Human Resource and Administrative Officer and Joshua Gbanyah, on Thursday, 3rd July, 2025 made another appearance before Magistrate Mustapha Braima Jah of Pademba Road Court No.1 for allegedly embezzling over Six Hundred Thousand New Leones from the bank money meant to be paid for EDSA electricity top up.
They are before the court on charges of conspiracy, larceny by servant, causing money to be paid by false pretenses and forgery of documents contrary to law.
The charge sheet indicates that Sesay and Gbanyah between 2nd January, 2023 and 31st March, 2024 as employees of the Bloom Bank, allegedly misappropriated funds intended for the payments of electricity bills to the Electricity Distribution and Supply Authority (EDSA) on multiple occasions.
The charge sheet furthered that both accused persons, facilitated payment of Six Hundred and Nineteen Thousand New Leones (NLe 619,000) from the bank and that the second accused, Joshua Gbanyah forged documents from the College of Digital Excellence including statements of results bearing his name purported to have been prepared and signed by the Office of the Registrar at the College of Digital Excellence which police claims to be falsified.
At the maiden hearing, a Prosecution Witness, Ernest Ohue who identified himself to the court as the Chief Internal Auditor of Bloom Bank testified before the court and the matter was adjourned for cross-examination by Defense Counsels.
On Thursday therefore, Defense Counsel C.C.G. Commoh on behalf of the first accused, Musa Joseph Sesay cross-examined the first Prosecution Witness, Ernest Ohue in his capacity as the Chief Internal Auditor of Bloom Bank.
Answering to questions posed to him by the Defense Counsel, Mr. Ohue said a deposit of Ten Thousand New Leones (NLe 10,000) was deposited by one Paul Nanason at the bank during the time the incident occurred. He also told the court that the second accused, Joshua Gbanyah is a Dispatch Rider of the bank and was still in that position when the incident occurred.
Defense Counsel went on to put it to Mr. Ohue that there was no such record before the court showing that both accused persons withdrew money from the bank without the knowledge of Management and he (Ohue) responded that management never knew what was happening until when EDSA went to the bank to cut off their electricity supply, at which time management noticed that both accused persons have not been paying the bank’s electricity bills since it was their duty.
Witness Ohue further told the court in cross-examination that the first accused, Musa Joseph Sesay resigned from the bank one month before they discovered the said fraud and the receipts produced before the court shows that payments for EDSA top up were made before his resignation.
He was further asked by Defense Counsel Commoh that there is no evidence by EDSA directly linking the first accused, Musa Joseph Sesay of tampering with the meter, but Ohue answered that EDSA had indicated that the electricity meter of the Bloom Bank Africa had been tampered with and electricity credits have not been purchased for a certain period of time. Ohue further informed the court that the account number used by the first accused, Musa Joseph Sesay to deposit the money given to him for EDSA top up is 0012011040 but that the account ceased operation following his resignation from the bank.
Ohue was asked by the Defense Lawyer that there is no evidence before the court showing transaction between both accused persons, to which he responded that there are no documents linking them to the transactions but that there are documents showing that transactions took place between the accused persons and the bank to recharge the meter of the bank.
At this juncture, Magistrate decided to adjourn the matter to the 11th July, 2025 for continuation of the case.